Russian Navy Ship Caught Lurking Off Denmark’s Coast as Drones Attack
Danish authorities have reported the sighting of a Russian warship on the edge of Danish waters with its tracking system turned off, indicating it is likely trying to avoid detection, according to Danish outlet Ekstra Bladet.
Why It Matters
Russian fighter planes last week violated Romanian and Estonian airspace, raising tensions between members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Russian military as pressure ramps up for Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine.
Denmark this week also has suffered what officials have labeled a "hybrid attack" of drones flying through the country's airspace and disrupting the operations of critical infrastructure, prompting Denmark to invoke NATO Article 4.
What To Know
A helicopter spotted the Russian vessel, identified as the landing vessel Aleksandr Shabalin, off the coast of Langeland, Denmark.
The drone incursions over two different days forced the closure of major airports, including Aalborg airport, which is used for military and commercial flights, according to Reuters. All airports had resumed normal operations by Thursday morning.
The drones also appeared near Skrydstrup air base, which is home to Denmark's F-16 and F-35 fighter jets.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze told Reuters that the Danish government linked the drones to "state activity" but that European governments would await "further assessment" on potential responsible parties while stressing the need to "to invest in counter-drone capability."
Russia has denied any involvement in the drone operations, but experts have suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be ordering the attacks from his "shadow fleet," a group of unlisted tankers that have been transporting oil for Russia in an effort to avoid the heavy sanctions imposed by Western nations in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
What People Are Saying
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters last week:
"I certainly cannot deny in any way that it is Russia,"
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte wrote on X:
"Just spoke with Denmark’s PM Mette Frederiksen about the drone situation, which we take very seriously. NATO Allies and Denmark are working together on how we can ensure the safety and security of our critical infrastructure."
Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote on X:
"If a Russian jet is shot down in NATO airspace today – historians will say that Russia started the war, in 2022. There is no need to let Putin gaslight us into allowing him into our airspace "to prevent war." But if we fear our own strength, we will become victims of Russia's."
Unidentified drones were observed near military installations in Denmark overnight, the Armed Forces said on Saturday, following several drone incursions near airports and critical infrastructure this week.
"The Danish Defence can confirm that drones were observed at several of the Danish Defence's locations last night. Several capabilities were deployed,"
a spokesperson said in an email to Reuters.
Unknown drones were spotted over the Swedish archipelago of Karlskrona on the night of 25-26 September.
Source: Swedish broadcaster SVT; European Pravda
Details: The police were called to the scene, and the officers themselves could see the suspicious drones.
"It is a larger type [of drone], similar to the one that was over Denmark and Skåne [southern Sweden – ed.]," said Mattias Lundgren, an investigation leader at the Karlskrona police.On Thursday evening, several residents of two local settlements reported a suspicious drone.
"It is currently unclear what the object is, but we have filed a report of a violation of aviation law,"commented Mattias Lundgren.
According to the police coordination centre, several witnesses saw two drones with red and green lights. Neither object was recovered, and there are no suspects in the case. However, the police see a clear connection with recent events in Denmark and Norway.
The area where the drones were spotted is located a few kilometres from the naval base in Karlskrona. The Swedish Navy has no information about this incident.
Top Photo: The Baltic Fleet's Aleksandr Shabalin large landing ship seen during a ceremonial greeting in Baltiysk's naval harbour on January 29, 2017 - Igor Zarembo/Sputnik via AP
Sources: Newsweek; Reuters; Pravda Ukraine
